The HSUS Responds to New Missouri Dog Law Outlined by Gov. Nixon

ST. LOUIS — Wayne Pacelle, the president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, responded to the press conference given by Gov. Jay Nixon and other state officials to explain new enforcement programs to monitor large-scale, commercial dog-breeding facilities in the state.

Pacelle, who is in St. Louis today and Thursday, issued the following statement:

“The attack on Prop B has been irresponsible and shameful, with a small number of lawmakers subverting a sensible animal welfare law approved directly by voters just seven months ago. We are very pleased about additional funding and personnel for enforcement to crack down on puppy mills, but there’s no reason not to have both the strong provisions of Prop B and vigorous enforcement of the law. It should have never been positioned as an either-or circumstance.

As the state proceeds with its rule-making efforts on commercial dog-breeding, we will be participating actively and advocating for strong provisions consistent with the wishes of the people of Missouri. In addition, we are supporting the Your Vote Counts Act which--if approved in November 2012--will provide greater protection for voter-approved ballot measures, so that no citizen initiative is overturned by state lawmakers just because of an ideological disagreement with its provisions.”

Pacelle is in Missouri as part of a nationwide tour promoting his new best-seller, The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them (William Morrow; $26.99) and will give a reading at the Ethical Society of St. Louis this evening. Among the topics he will discuss is the aftermath of Prop B, where the legislature chose to gut the ballot measure approved in November 2010.

To arrange an interview with Mr. Pacelle about the need for real regulation of puppy mills in Missouri or to discuss his book, please contact The HSUS’ public relations department at 301-258-3152.

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the Web at humanesociety.org.

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